【Traveler’s Story】My Working Holiday in Australia Was the Best Decision of My Life

As the saying goes, travel is not just about eating, drinking, and having fun—it also allows us to step into the outside world, understand other cultures and histories, and discover all kinds of extraordinary people and stories we never imagined. Sometimes, travel can even be the nourishment that changes a life.

Priscilla Ng, a post-80s Hong Kong girl,“I Am the Travel Emperor” blog and travel column writer. After graduating from university, she went on aWorking Holiday in Australia, and that one year of experience set her on the path of solo travel, turning her into a backpacker. To this day, it has been seven years, yet she has no intention of stopping. Because for her, every trip is a brand-new challenge, and the constant act of venturing out has become a major driving force in her life.

“The best decision I’ve ever made in my life was to go on aWorking Holiday in Australia.”Working Holiday in Australia.”

Compared to many people, Priscilla’s working holiday came a bit earlier. She went right after graduating from university. At the time, she had no idea what would happen when she returned—she only knew that her student life had been too intense, and she wanted to go out and see how the world really was.

“I remember when I first arrived inAustralia,there were so many things I had to figure out on my own. Finding a job and a place to live weren’t easy, but I was lucky to quickly make a group of new friends there. When everyone shares similar experiences, it’s natural for people to connect.”

Aside fromAustralia’scapital cities, Canberra and Brisbane, which she didn’t visit, Priscilla managed to leave her footprints in other cities acrossAustraliaduring her working holiday. She worked as a waitress, a phone card salesperson, and even as a farmer, and discovered that her ability to solve problems was greater than she had imagined. She also learned to cherish every hard-earned dollar.

Among all the places, the one that captured Priscilla’s heart the most was the remoteNorthern Territory.Northern Territory.

“At first, I actually hadn’t planned to go to theNorthern Territory.I was originally going to work at a ski resort in Victoria, but then I met my then-boyfriend inAustralia,and in the end, I gave up the job in Melbourne for love and came to theNorthern Territoryof Australia. Darwin this land.”

And so, Priscilla began hersix-month life in theNorthern Territory. The most interesting part was when she worked as a hotel waitress and met many guests from other states inAustraliawho would ask her about traveling in Darwin and other destinations,making her feel that her value went beyond just that. Even jobs that may not seem greathave their own greatness. This is also a life philosophy she deeply felt during herworking holiday inAustralia.It even led Priscilla to embrace a backpacker’s life, exploring the unknown.

“I love how life keeps throwing new challenges and things at me to keep moving forward,and I won’t let habits or dependencies hold me back.”

Because of this, ever since returning fromAustralia,Priscilla has never given up on the idea of turning travel into a career. Sometimes she takes on odd jobs, and she continues to write online, sharing bits and pieces of her journeys. This year, she will collaborate with a brand-new online tour platform Guyguide to lead tours back toAustralia’sNorthern Territory.As someone who studied hotel and tourism management, she hopes most to open a backpackers’ hostel and make friends with more people.

Perhaps, on this journey, there are many uncertainties — life is the same — but it is precisely these uncertainties that give us anticipation and room for imagination.

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